Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!prls!pyramid!leadsv!practic!vlsisj!davidc
From: davidc@vlsisj.VLSI.COM (David Chapman)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Subject: Re: Z88
Summary: sucks power when *any* key is pressed
Message-ID: <15524@vlsisj.VLSI.COM>
Date: 27 Mar 90 06:21:53 GMT
References: <1333@mindlink.UUCP> <1691@aber-cs.UUCP>
Reply-To: davidc@vlsisj.UUCP (David Chapman)
Organization: VLSI Technology Inc., San Jose, CA
Lines: 30

In article <1691@aber-cs.UUCP> cjp@raphael.UUCP (Chris Price) writes:
>I would agree that they are a good portable, but not a general one. They are
>an excellent word-dumper. I use one to write reports on trains and bits and
>pieces at home when I want to slump in an armchair and do it. 
>
> [review deleted]
>
>Final warning: I heard of someone who pressed lots of soft things in his
>briefcase on top of his Z88. The SHIFT keys were continually being pressed
>as his bag moved, completely exhausting the batteries.  Store the Z88 next
>to something hard (that pad of A4 paper you keep in case the machine breaks
>down). 

It's worse than that, actually.  My Z88 keyboard seems to be on the fritz
(it's been abused horribly - don't blame Cambridge!).  I spoke to Cambridge
North America's technical support and they told me that it wakes up *every*
time *any* key is pressed to see if it's the two shift keys.  So battery
life goes down if you press keys by any means.  Keep things off the top of
it.  I'll probably try to rig a hard shell (sheet aluminum) around it next
time I stuff it into my bicycle's panniers.

I found that battery life was about 20 hours in use and a month when the
machine was idle.  Advertised battery life is 20 hours in use and a year
idle.  But like I said, mine has been abused (keyboard pressing was the
least of its problems! :-)
-- 
		David Chapman

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